What does it mean when a compiled kernel doesn't have the arch/x86_64 directory. I realize the bzImage fill is generally just a symblic link to the /arch/x86 directory tree, but I just wondered if there was any specific reason why this tree isn't generated?

Once upon a time, there mere separate source trees for arch/i386 and arch/x86_64.
Over the years, these trees merged into arch/x86. The merge was completed around 2.6.26. At that time arch/i386 and arch/x86_64 both became symlinks to arch/x86, so old habits still worked.

I suppose that Linus has dropped the symlinks._________________Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.